A Front Door for the Humanities

Dicke Hall, as part of the broader overall Chapman-Halsell Complex project, will be a defining presence for Trinity on Hildebrand Avenue, and a more visible connection to the San Antonio community. 

The new Complex will not only improve student outcomes and address aging infrastructure, but will also support admissions when prospective students and parents visit Trinity’s campus.

Amenities

Dicke Hall will house the Humanities Collective, the Department of English, and the Department of Religion. Building amenities are student-centered and create collaborative environments that reflect modern educational practices.

 State-of-the-art classrooms

 Ample writing surfaces and movable furniture

 Improved classroom acoustics and screen projection

 Offices, conference rooms, and collaborative commons spaces

Location

This new building is part of the Chapman-Halsell Complex, situated to the north of Halsell Center, and adjacent to the Elizabeth Huth Coates Library.

a section of the campus map shows the location of the new Dicke Hall building

Building Specifications

 40,000 square feet

 3 stories

 2 department homes (English, Religion)

 6 classrooms

 1 lecture hall

 1 screening room

 multiple collaborative common spaces

The spacious, two-story porch off the Commons of Dicke Hall will look out toward the new courtyard and the Great Hall in Chapman and will serve as an outdoor living and study space for students, faculty, and guests.

Floor-to-ceiling windows open interior classrooms to views of the green space, highlighting the concurrence of indoor and outdoor life on campus.

Furnished with comfortable couches and armchairs for reading or studying and tables where small groups can gather, the Humanities Commons will be the centerpiece of Dicke Hall and a destination for the Trinity community.

Classrooms in Dicke Hall will be uniquely customized for the teaching and learning needs of their majors and departments, giving students hands-on opportunities to discover new ways of critically thinking, researching, and analyzing.

The Screening Room in Dicke Hall will serve as an academic space for scholars across majors to complete work requiring the analysis of film and video. It will also serve as a publicly accessible space for Trinity showcasing various media to a campus and community audience.

Floor-to-ceiling windows bring a wealth of daylight to one of several Collaboration Labs in Dicke Hall, designed for group study.

Departmental resources may be housed in a Collaboration Lab for students’ use outside of class.

Situated adjacent to department faculty offices and brightened by skylights, Department Commons feature comfortable seating where students may study or meet informally with instructors.

Dicke Hall, as seen from Hildebrand Avenue, will feature outward-facing architectural details similar to those of Chapman and Halsell.

The pedestrian bridge connecting Halsell to Dicke Hall encourages students to discover connections beyond their chosen fields of study.

A shaded green space utilizes existing tree canopy to provide additional outdoor options for studying and socializing.

Honoring Trinity’s historic district status, the Hall's exterior will continue to reflect O’Neil Ford’s design principles, as seen in this courtyard view of Dicke Hall and the Halsell Center.

Sustainable, adaptive reuse, complemented by the construction of the new Dicke Hall, will complete the Chapman-Halsell Complex.

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a illustration shows large timber pieces being laid crosswise on top of each other

Mass Timber Construction

In a nod to O’Neil Ford’s tradition of engineering innovation, Dicke Hall will be constructed using a mass-timber structural system.

A combination of aesthetics, structural performance, and opportunity for innovation have allowed mass-timber construction to take root. Mass-timber buildings have primary load-bearing structures—wall, floor, and roof construction—made of either solid or engineered wood. They have a lighter carbon footprint, provide fire and life safety, and biophilic aspects have been linked to improved health and well-being.

Building Progress

 

Groundbreaking

Spring 2021

 

Tree Topping

Winter 2021

 

Move In

Summer 2022

 

Grand Opening

Fall 2022

Take a Peek!

Dicke Hall was designed by Trinity University’s partners, Lake Flato Architects. Enjoy a live time-lapse of progress on the construction of Dicke Hall.

Real-Time Progress

This live view of the Dicke Hall construction is provided by EarthCam. Should you experience any issues, please contact the EarthCam support team. 

Directions and Parking

Address: One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212

  Campus map

Directions to Dicke Hall

From the North on Hwy 281 (airport)
  • Proceed to Interstate 281 South.
  • Travel south on Hwy 281 for approximately 4 miles.
  • Exit at Hildebrand Avenue and turn right at the light off the highway.
  • Turn left onto Shook Ave.
  • Turn left onto E Rosewood Ave.
  • Enter the roundabout at the end of E Rosewood Ave.
  • Exit the roundabout so that you take a left onto N Campus Drive
From the South on Hwy 281 (downtown/Riverwalk and Corpus Christi)
  • Travel north on Interstate 281 North/37 North.
  • Exit at Hildebrand Avenue and turn left at the light off the highway.
  • Turn left onto Shook Ave.
  • Turn left onto E Rosewood Ave.
  • Enter the roundabout at the end of E Rosewood Ave.
  • Exit the roundabout so that you take a left onto N Campus Drive.
From the North on I-35 (Austin)
  • Travel north on Interstate 281 North/37 North.
  • Exit at Hildebrand Avenue and turn left at the light off the highway.
  • Turn left onto Shook Ave.
  • Turn left onto E Rosewood Ave.
  • Enter the roundabout at the end of E Rosewood Ave.
  • Exit the roundabout so that you take a left onto N Campus Drive.
From the East on I-10 (Houston)
  • Travel west on Interstate 10 and exit Interstate 281 North/37 North.
  • On Hwy 281 North, exit at Hildebrand Avenue and turn left at the light off the highway.
  • Turn left onto Shook Ave.
  • Turn left onto E Rosewood Ave.
  • Enter the roundabout at the end of E Rosewood Ave.
  • Exit the roundabout so that you take a left onto N Campus Drive.
From the West on I-10 (El Paso)
  • Travel east on Interstate 10.
  • Exit at Hildebrand Avenue (Exit 566B).
  • Turn left on Hildebrand and travel approximately two miles.
  • Turn right onto Shook Ave.
  • Turn left onto E Rosewood Ave.
  • Enter the roundabout at the end of E Rosewood Ave.
  • Exit the roundabout so that you take a left onto N Campus Drive.